Trembling Hand Equilibrium

" You're mine, cara mia…” Adrian's breath crept up my skin as he held me still with his arm around my waist. I hissed, pulling back and failed. “In your dreams, Adrian.” His low chuckle scared me, but I acted tough. I couldn't afford to lose face before him. His other hand ran up to my hair and pulled, making me help and he whispered in my ear. “Disobey me again and I'll make you cum while my men watch.” That was Adrian Moretti the devil, and Mafia Don to the top elite cartel and Serena was his surrogate. He had bought her as his surrogate and didn't love her, but why? Serena craves freedom but she can't bring herself to hate his touch. What happens when she finds out he has a hand in her father's death and planned all of this to make her his? Read on to find out!

It's Family Day at my daughter, Hannah Neel's, preschool, but my wife, Samantha Miller, says she has to work and tells both Hannah and me not to go. Seeing the disappointment on Hannah's face breaks my heart, so I bring her to school anyway. As soon as we step through the gates, I see Samantha. She's holding her childhood friend—Oscar Barnett's—hand, with a little boy clutching her other. The three of them look like a perfect family, laughing and chatting, as if they belong together. When Samantha sees us, her smile fades, and she lets go of Oscar's hand. "Zach, it's not what you think. Oscar's raising his son alone. Today's his fifth birthday, and he just wanted to give him a little taste of a mother's love," she says quickly. I study her for a moment, then kneel and gently take Hannah's hand in mine. "Sweetheart, say hello to the lady."

When Isadora Giordano is forced into a contract marriage with the disfigured billionaire whose scarred face and missing hand have spawned endless town gossip—her world shatters. Darren Barlowe has everything money can buy—except love. He makes a deal with Isadora’s desperate father: He clears his debt in exchange for his daughter's hand in marriage. On their wedding night, Darren uncovers her deception. She has a lover and she finds him repulsive. Fueled by pride and heartbreak, he offers an escape clause: two months as his wife. If she still detests him when the contract expires, she walks away wealthy and free. Isadora's walls crumble as she discovers the wounded soul behind the fearsome reputation and unexpected feelings begin to surface. But when her former lover reappears and a deadly conspiracy unfolds, she must choose between the safety of her past and a scarred man who might be her future. Can they can survive the forces determined to tear them apart?

In the southern land of Clandestine Empire lies the city of lawlessness where the thirteen-year-old Dio is satisfied with his life. A warm home despite the chaotic city, a loving grandfather, and a humble living are all he needs in his life. However, everything changed when his grandfather died in a fire. He lost everything-- his family, his purpose, and his will to live. At a young age, he was lost with no hope for the future. “How about I help you find meaning in your life again?” It was an offer that he doesn’t even need to consider but because he wants to uphold his grandfather’s dying wish, Dio held the hand that was offered to him. It wasn’t salvation, just a temporary solution to push him to move forward. Little did he know that the hand that he took would lead him to know the reason why his grandfather had to die and how it was all connected to him. Will he be able to continue moving forward and face the future or give up on life and focus on revenge?

Pinning me against the wall, he gripped my jaw and growled, “You are mine, Ember.” His hand closed around my throat tightly before he whispered venomously, “Mine to break. Mine to destroy. As long as you are here, you are at my mercy.” A devilish smirk touched his lips as he said playfully, “And I am NEVER letting you go, my mate.” ============== All her life, Ember has worked hard to be the next Queen of the South but her life turns upside down when she finds out that she is the mate of the ruthless Alpha of the North, the bloodthirsty enemy of the South. Angry at fate, Ember vows to fight this forbidden mate bond. Alpha Nicholus, on the other hand, is disgusted to find out that the daughter of his worst enemy is actually his fated mate. But in his quest to become the most powerful King, he decides to bow down to fate but when his rebellious mate disagrees, he doesn’t hesitate to unleash his ruthless demons to get what he wants.

WARNING: Please, before reading this book, note that it contains: violence, abusive scenes, and mature scenes. "I was supposed to kill you, Cassius," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Do you think you can?" he replied, his gaze piercing. He gently took my hand, the warmth of his touch contrasting sharply with the coldness of the IV drip that fed into my arm. "I would shoot a bullet into your head if..." I started, but before I could finish, he sealed my lips with a kiss—soft yet filled with an urgency that took my breath away. **** Zara Singh, an undercover assassin, receives a contract to seduce and eliminate Cassius DiMarco, the most feared Mafia king who is known for his ruthlessness. But what would happen when she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Cassius? And what would happen when Zara finds out Cassius had a hand in her parent's death? Would she be able to forgive him? #2

By month four of my IVF treatments, my husband's childhood sweetheart posted a picture of herself cradling her baby bump. The caption? [Having a happy ending with my first love. A family of three.] And there he was—his hand in the shot, making a cutesy heart with hers. Oh, and the cherry on top? He was still wearing his wedding ring.

Alonso’s voice was icy, his words cutting through the tension in the room. “You don’t need a reminder of why you’re here. That should always be clear in your mind.” Skyla clenched her fists, her chest tightening with a mix of anger and sadness. “I know,” she replied, her voice trembling but firm. The weight of his words and the truth behind them pressed heavily on her heart. Skyla Parker, a free-spirited artist with dreams of opening her own gallery, is forced into an arranged marriage with Alonso Ignacio, a wealthy but emotionally closed-off investor, by her father,Vincent parker ,a greedy struggling businessman, to save his failing business. Threatened with disownment if she refuses, Skyla reluctantly agrees. Alonso, who views love as a weakness and the marriage as a purely transactional deal, agrees to the union to secure a lucrative business partnership and to provide a mother figure for his young son. Despite their initial resentment and clashing personalities, their cold arrangement begins to thaw as they spend more time together. Skyla and Alonso discover the unexpected moments of vulnerability and passion., But when Vincent’s manipulations threaten to tear them apart, they must decide: will their marriage remain a business deal, or will they risk everything for a love that could heal their broken hearts?

"Alam mo na ngayon ang sikreto ko. That's really bad, Summers." He smirked. That nerd smirked! Tawagin niyo na akong baliw pero sa oras na 'yon, he looked goddamn hot. "Hindi ko sasabihin sa iba," I blurted the words out, umaasa na mapapalagay ang loob niya at pakakawalan niya na ako. Kahit na sobrang guwapo at hot niya, he also looked dangerous. Trying to stop myself from trembling, I bit my lips. Nahuli niya ang ginawa ko at yumuko siya. Nabalot ako ng amoy ng dope na sinisigarilyo niya kanina. Tilting his head, he clicked his tongue and smiled. "Wrong move." With that, he slammed his lips against mine, knocking all the air from my lungs. Hinalikan niya ako nang walang patawad. His mouth slipped at the seam of my mouth, at nablanko ang utak ko nang maramdaman ko ang paghaplos ng dila niya sa akin. Pulling away, tiningnan niya ako nang may nakalolokong ngiti sa kanyang mukha at sinabing, "ngayon, sa 'yo na ako."

"This is my first time... it hurts... oh, it’s bleeding..." Allie winced as a cut from the kitchen knife throbbed on her finger. Liam glanced at her, his face full of concern, and applied the medicine with a sharp, almost angry tone: "I’ve told you not to go near the kitchen! Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you!" For Allie, her 20th birthday gift was discovering her boyfriend's betrayal with her best friend in bed. Furious, she turned her back on Nick and married Liam Hart, the city’s most influential and untouchable man. From that moment, she faced endless challenges: Nick’s constant manipulations, Liam’s family scheming against her, and the toxic people in their lives. Everyone sees Liam as the perfect, doting husband—no one knows the price she pays for his love. Exhausted, Allie faced Liam one night, her voice trembling with frustration: "Liam Hart, you are a monster in disguise." Liam, looking hurt, replied with a soft grin, “You wound me, darling. How could I possibly be a monster when I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you?”